Cocktails and fried chicken. I’ll say that again, cocktails and fried chicken, that’s the gist of the menu at Service Bar, one of the latest spots to open up in the U St/Shaw neighborhood. Despite its size, SBDC packs a punch, a menu of drinks that isn’t overwhelming, with detailed ingredients and icons for each drink to let you know if it's carbonated, strong or even which glass it will be served in, perfect for those of us wanting to avoid the coupe, yes I’m that guy.
Read MoreDining: Haikan
A few months back I moved neighborhoods, from Logan to (North End) Shaw, and in the space of a few months some pretty awesome restaurants have opened up, it's akin to when 14th Street started to become a destination five or six years ago, now it's Shaw's turn. I may not get around to writing about the likes of Shaw Bijou, unless I date rich (anyone?), but I will tell you about the more affordable options. I'll start with Haikan.
Read MoreDining: Dino's Grotto
It's been roughly three months since Dino's in Cleveland Park shuttered, but owner Dean Gold wasted no time in moving across town to Shaw in opening up Dino's Grotto, a more casual iteration of the former. The dining room is basic, simple furnishings with impressive Italian silk tapestries which Gold and his wife Kay have collected over the years from trips to Tuscany.
If you were a fan of Dino then you won't be disappointed with the Grotto, there are new dishes that you could say fit more in with the neighborhood, but there are regulars which are familiar - the pork & veal Lasagnette made the trek across town, as did the pappardelle Cinghiale; a bowl packed of house made noodles in a rich creamy tomato sauce with wild boar ragu. This is one of those dishes that you'll be hard pressed not to order on each visit. Another dish to consider, if you're wanting something a little heartier is Fusili al Forno - a dish loaded with Border Springs lamb meatballs combined with the best of Italian flavors - smoked mozzarella and tomatoes.
Read MoreDining: Shaw's Tavern
Original Red Pizza
Located on the corner of Florida and 5th, Shaw's Tavern could have rested on its laurels and benefited from being one of the few dining options in the Shaw neighborhood when it opened back in 2011, but the restaurant didn't. With neighborhood block parties and nightly events ranging from karaoke, live jazz to trivia, as well as an industry brunch every Monday, the restaurant has embraced the community it serves and the community has embraced it, there's rarely an empty table come dinner time, and not just because of the entertainment. The food at Shaw's is simple yet satisfying, what it does it does well, for the most part.
I'm a sucker for good bar food which is why I go to Shaw's as often as I do, one of my go to dishes is the Original Red Pizza, it's no fancy pie you would find at the likes of Etto on 14th but it's cooked in a brick-oven which makes for a fluffy crust and oozes with tomato sauce and just enough grease to make each bite worth the calories I choose not to think about. Sometimes you just need a pizza that's a little rough around the edges.
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